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Hundreds of protesters spoke out Thursday at an annual May Day rally against Dane County Jail’s collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has led to dozens of deportations of undocumented immigrants over the past year.
Supporters from both the University of Wisconsin and Dane County marched from Brittingham Park to the City-County Building at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Protesters sang, played instruments and repeatedly chanted “S� se puede,” Spanish for “Yes we can.”
In response to the protest, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney said Dane County Jail routinely fills out a booking sheet asking for personal information, which includes the question of citizenship status and place of birth. If an individual self-identifies as a non-United States citizen, it is the responsibility of Dane County Jail as a law enforcement agency to cooperate with other federal or local agencies, Mahoney said.
Alex Gillis, spokesperson for the Immigrant Workers Union, said Dane County Jail’s inquiries about citizenship status during the arrest process have led to unwarranted deportations of undocumented immigrants. Gillis added it is not the responsibility of Dane County Jail to inquire about migratory status because immigration laws are not under local jurisdiction.
“The specific issue that we want to bring to the eye of the public is that we think what Dave Mahoney is doing right now is the biggest offense to human rights in the last 20 years,” Gillis said. “We are demanding for him to stop it. He is not obligated to do it.”
Out of 1,300 bookings in the month of January, the Dane County Jail made 25 notifications to ICE, eight of which resulted in undocumented immigrants being held at the Dane County Jail until ICE either dropped the warrant or picked the individuals up to be deported.
Although Mahoney said he is compelled to notify ICE when individuals are arrested or charged for a criminal offense, he said when ICE has requested Dane County Jail to participate in the execution of raids or warrants to “round-up” undocumented immigrants, he has declined.
“Neither I nor any other officer from Dane County Jail have been involved in the deportation of undocumented immigrants,” Mahoney said. “When asked to participate, we have taken the position that we will not.”
Janet Parker, co-chair of Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, said Dane County Jail plays a key role in the deportations of dozens of undocumented immigrants.
“Right here in Madison we are seeing a stark spike in raids by ICE,” Parker said. “Our sheriff’s office has been acting as an enforcement arm for ICE, and we come here today to ask the sheriff to stop collaborating.”
Nearly 30 UW students rallied at Library Mall before walking to Brittingham Park to join the larger protest, and many voiced their disappointment about the lack of immigrant rights in the United States.
“Only in places like this are immigrants the most exploitable. They have the most to lose. Only in places like these can workers of any type, especially immigrants, find their voice,” said John Bruning, UW sophomore and Student Labor Action Coalition member. “Only in crowds, only in rallies and marches like today can they really have a voice.”
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Undocumented=illegal. What’s so hard about using the proper word here?
Build a big fence on the border to stop illegal immigration and then increase legal immigration commensurately.
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So being in another country without documentation should be allowed? I’m confused. Isn’t there a reason you need a passport and need a visa to be in another country? ‘Immigrant rights’ should be for LEGAL immigrants…. I thought.
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At least they don’t use the Mexican method of dealing with illegals, robbery, rape and murder.
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Very glad Ryberg is writing for this paper. She captures and communicates the issues extremely well. Thanks Jacquelyn!!
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Bring the tropps home from Germany, Korea and Japan. Buy a bunch of concertina wire and have them string it along the border. Then the troops could patrol the border to ensure that the wire is in good repair.
Protecting the borders and preventing invasion is really one of the ONLY things that the federal government is supposed to be doing and they are failing miserably at it.
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Try working in Mexico without proper documents and see what happens to you. Dane County Jail is a farking country club compared to Mexican jails.
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What’s next? Protesting putting bank robbers in jail?
After all, they are only un-documented un-depositors freeing themselves from poverty though their own efforts.
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Sounds like there is consensus here. These protestors have no ground upon which to stand. Laws must be enforced. It’s really as simple as that. If these protestors want to change things, change the laws. However, eliminating the immigration laws will not (and should not) happen.
Furthermore, I’m sick of the terrible arguments that consist of, “You’re ancestors immigrated to the US.” That immigration was legal, and laws change according to the conditions of the world.
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The marchers say suspend the rule of law and reward illegality. Take away the jobs magnet and basically create an inhospitable environment for immigration law breakers so more and more will decide to go home or not come.
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If there’s enough popular support for a law to change, shouldn’t it be changed? The opposition isn’t about doing what’s best for America, it’s the blind following of the fascistic notion of the “rule of law” along with their racist tendencies.
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Nobody has the right to ignore laws and then somehow invent a supposed right to continue breaking the law. Laws must be fairly and effectivly enforced or goodbye justice. The only reason this is even an issue is because Big Business and the Far Left have entered into a unholy marriage to exploit these desperate people. Business wants cheap excessive labor that wiill keep down wages, the left wants more poor needy minorites whose support the can buy with programs.
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“If there’s enough popular support for a law to change, shouldn’t it be changed?”
Big if. There is NOT enough popular support - that’s obvious after last year’s failure to push through a new amnesty law, even though it had the support of both President Bush and Senator Kennedy (there’s an odd couple for you) amoung others. All the elite and effete were for it - only the common proles rose up and defeated it.
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nice racket
Josefa Gonzalez Loya has sneaked across the Mexican border at least 128 times in the past eight years. And each time, the Border Patrol has been nice enough to give her a lift home.
Gonzalez and a group of other women and children � all Indians from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca � have no interest in staying in the United States. All they want to do is panhandle outside El Paso businesses, using the children as lures.
At the end of a productive day, they wait for the Border Patrol to come pick them up and drive them back to the border.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24432459/
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�The specific issue that we want to bring to the eye of the public is that we think what Dave Mahoney is doing right now is the biggest offense to human rights in the last 20 years,�
The biggest offense to human rights in the last 20 years? Yeah I certainly can’t think of anything worse than this!
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I’m sure there’s overwhelming support for changing the tax laws too. Unfortunately, in the real world, popular support (which, by the way, you don’t have on this issue) is not the only basis for making laws.
Nice of you to throw in the baseless accusation of racism. That your fall-back position when your argument has absolutely no merit? “Racist tendencies” - what an asinine comment.
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Ugh…following the rule of law is “fascistic”? Did you think before or after you wrote that?
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The job of the police is to enforce the laws.
Immigration reform is needed, but right now people are more concerned about the economy for whatever reason. There really isn’t any reason to deport illegal immigrants since they are already here and working. Get them the proper paperwork so they can start paying taxes and legally doing the stuff they are doing anyway.
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To Anonymous @ 5:01pm
I don’t even know where to start with this post.
Sometimes if there’s enough support for a law to change, it should. However, amnesty for illegal immigrants does not have much public support AT ALL.
How is the “rule of law” a fascistic notion? I would HATE to live in any civilization where officials had the ability to NOT follow the rule of law.
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When rule of law supersedes any concern for human rights or suffering, it can and should be labeled as fascistic and authoritarian.
“Furthermore, I’m sick of the terrible arguments that consist of, “You’re ancestors immigrated to the US.” That immigration was legal, and laws change according to the conditions of the world.”
When my family came here, there was no “legal” or “illegal” immigration. There was just immigration. And even then, they were subjected to “Irish need not apply” signs or harassment over primarily speaking German. Which gives me little confidence that the racism would stop even with amnesty or citizenship.
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Anonymous @ 6:20 wrote: “When my family came here, there was no ‘legal’ or ‘illegal’ immigration. There was just immigration.”
That’s logically impossible. The terms “illegal” and “legal” are defined as “not-legal” and “legal”, respectively. Any immigration is either legal or not-legal.
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ok think about coming here without anything and by the time you gain something they take it away just because your illegal please come one be human if you have never being in this position then dont even talk about it.
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REally, people who think that its more important to kick out NOt illegal immigrants But, HUMAN Beings just because they dont have A Couple of numbers and A Piece of paper that says “AMerican” should really get a LIFE and for once THink with compation in your BLIND HEarts. Dont get me wrong i know your just thinking about the Good of your country, BUt really America would still be the SAME WITH OR WITHOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS!